Record number of students in rural consortium LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A record number of students have been accepted into the Arkansas Rural Nursing Education Consortium. The consortium is a group of eight community colleges that collaborate to provide students an opportunity for an associate degree in Registered Nursing. This is the first year that the program has accepted 280 students. Classes start in January and will include course work as well as on-site clinical work in nursing homes, ho...

Blanchard Springs Caverns to changes tour times MOUNTAIN VIEW (AP) — Blanchard Springs Caverns plans to operate on a reduced schedule early next year. The U.S. Forest Service says the caverns, located 15 miles northwest of Mountain View near the town of Fifty Six, Arkansas, will reduced its schedule from January through the end of February. Tours through the Caverns' Dripstone Trail will be offered three times daily. Other tours may be added as needed. Wild Cave Tours will be offered on a r...

Plant Board approves pesticide systems LITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Arkansas State Plant Board has approved the use of two forms of genetically modified crops and their attendant pesticides for use in the state. The new technologies will permit growers the ability to combat pigweed and other persistent broadleaf weeds as early as the 2015 growing season. Jason Norsworthy, professor of crop, soil and environmental science for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and t...

AP sources: Cops' killer angry over Garner death NEW YORK (AP) — A gunman who announced online that he was planning to shoot two "pigs" in retaliation for the chokehold death of Eric Garner ambushed two police officers in a patrol car and shot them to death in broad daylight Saturday before running to a subway station and killing himself, authorities said. The suspect, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, wrote on an Instagram account: "I'm putting wings on pigs today. They take 1 of ours, let's take 2 of the...

Eaton presides over last meeting as mayor Russellville Mayor Bill Eaton and Aldermen Martin Irwin and Randy Horton were recognized during the last City Council meeting of 2014 on Thursday night at City Hall. And it was a special night for more than those occasions. Eaton, who served as alderman before being elected mayor in 2011, not only thanked the city’s employees and the community for their support the last four years, but pointed out he “married the most wonderful woman 48 years ...

Russellville aldermen to meet with Alliance membersThe Russellville City Council approved the 2015 General Fund and Special Funds budgets Thursday night, with the promise aldermen will call a special meeting with members of the Arkansas Valley Alliance for Economic Development (AVAED) to discuss the city’s contribution to the organization. Finance Committee chairman and Mayor-elect Randy Horton amended his motion to pass the Special Funds budget with the exception of items regarding Alliance f...

Quillin becomes commissioned officer in U.S. ArmyChristopher Franklin Quillin of Magnolia, a 2014 graduate of Arkansas Tech University, was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army during a ceremony at the Doc Bryan Student Services Center Lecture Hall on Saturday morning. The commissioning ceremony carried extra meaning for Major General William Wofford, adjutant general for the Arkansas National Guard and speaker for the commissioning ceremony. Wofford said he realized during t...

Clarksville recognizes first place finishCLARKSVILLE — The Clarksville Board of Education congratulated students and teachers for recent awards during its meeting Monday. A team of students from chemistry teacher Allen Warren's classes was recognized for winning the ninth annual Ozarks Science Day Competition on Nov. 12 at University of the Ozarks. The team competed with 22 other schools in subjects such as zoology, botany, genetics and astronomy. Assistant Superintendent Steven Wyat...

Concerns addressed at second crematorium hearingResidents of the Center Valley community spoke in opposition to Jim Bob Humphrey's proposed crematorium during a second public hearing Friday at Russellville City Hall. Conducted by the Arkansas State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors, the public hearing took place because Humphrey withdrew his permit and is now proposing to move the crematorium further from Center Valley Elementary School, which forces him to reapply for a permit. The ...

Gibson elected chairman of advisory committeeAfter more than a decade of serving as chairman of the Nuclear Planning and Response Advisory Committee, Johnson County Judge Mike Jacobs will pass the torch to Pope County Judge Jim Ed Gibson in 2015. "It's been either 14 or 16 years, I can't remember," Jacobs said with a laugh. The committee unanimously elected Gibson as the new chairman during its annual meeting earlier this week. Chris Meyer, Nuclear Planning and Response state manager, pr...

Sheriff's Office warns of phone scamOn Friday, Dec. 19, the Pope County Sheriff’s Office received several phone calls from concerned citizens concerning a possible phone scam. The victims stated they received telephone calls from an individual identifying himself as Zach Miller and another individual identifying himself as James Marshall claiming to be with the Pope County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect told the victims they were in violation of jury duty service and would be arr...

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Pope County Sheriff’s OfficeThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Counts earns assistantship with printmaking workshopArkansas Tech University student Zac Counts is among a group of 12 students from across the United States who have been awarded an assistantship for the 2015 Frogman’s Printmaking Workshop at the University of South Dakota. Counts is a senior graphic design major from Wickes. He is on course to graduate from Arkansas Tech in May 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in graphic design. “The workshops host printmakers for intense week-long session...

Dover considers communications positionDOVER — At its December meeting Thursday, the Dover School Board discussed the prospect of creating a position of Public Communications Director to manage information concerning school programs and plans. Superintendent Jerry Owens was asked to draft a job description for the position, perhaps combining public relations with grant writing responsibilities. The board conducted a brief public meeting before its regular session to consider materi...

Change to Russellville sick leave policy deniedA change to the licensed personnel sick leave policy was denied by the Russellville Board of Education during its meeting Tuesday. Although policies concerning extracurricular activities, weighting for extra duties, special assignments, grievance and information technology were approved, the board declined to make a motion concerning slight changes to the sick leave policy. Board member Allan George said because of previous discussion concerni...

Clarksville students shake it offCLARKSVILLE — Clarksville Junior High School students are shaking off bullies. Through the the school's recently created lip dub — set to Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" — students are taking a proactive approach to bullying. More than 600 students starred in the music video filmed in the junior high hallway. Kenna Patterson, student council sponsor, said the council wanted to do an anti-bullying theme this year to empower their fellow students....

Dover EAST students propose changesDOVER — The Dover School Board heard project based education reports from middle school and high school EAST classes at its meeting Thursday. Middle school EAST students June Musgrove, Shelby Sharp, Rylie Wheeler and Nathan Miller reported on the program called Lettuce Eat Salad, in which they partnered with the middle school cafeteria to offer fresh salads as a lunch alternative. To ensure the success of the program, students surveyed the mid...

Church briefs (Dec. 19, 2014)NLC to host Candlelight New Life Church in Russellville will host Candlelight at 6 p.m. Saturday, 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. Sunday and at 3 p.m. Wednesday. Everyone is invited to Candlelight as the church celebrates Jesus, the gift of hope. The church is located at 130 E. Harrell Drive. Presbyterian Christmas program Appleton Cumberland Presbyterian Church will host its Christmas program at 10 a.m. Sunday entitled “Light from Above.” A worship servi...

'Twas the night before Jesus came'Recently I found an interesting poem in a book of illustrations entitled “The Tale of the Oxcart (and 1501 other stories) compiled by Charles R. Swindoll. The poem’s author is Anonymous but he does write well. I’d like to share it with you as food for thought this Christmas season. “Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house Not a creature was praying, not one in the house. Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care In ho...